Is Facebook a Culture?

This afternoon I had an interesting debate with several colleagues about the roles and differences of brand and culture.
Can a product or service create a culture of customers?
While creating its own culture is the holy grail of a brand manager, it is rarely if ever achieved. A well executed brand will have consumers associating [...]

Twitter : Getting New Management?

The rumor mill of possible suitors for Twitter blogs, buzzes and Tweets with different theories. The largest speculation, at least in terms of media attention, has Twitter pairing up with either Google or Apple. While these reports are officially unsubstantiated – they did get me to think about what Twitter would be [...]

Open Letter to Madison Avenue

This past week the New York Times had an article about the convergence of contextual advertising and Smart phones. The potential for highly targeted advertising including the use of GPS is a trend I have been discussing in this blog for over a year.
 
The interesting angle in the NY Times piece , “Is [...]

Cheers and Jeers for Mobile without Numbers

My article “The Future of Mobile – without numbers” created a large reaction.  I received a full inbox worth of cheers and jeers.  For those who cheered, I say “thanks.”
For those who jeered, I say, “Thank you very much!”  I have always believed that when people challenge your thinking and your logic, you have the [...]

The Future of Mobile – Without Phone Numbers

The most striking exchange at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona was the give and take of jabs between Sol Trujillo , CEO of Telestra and Josh Silverman, CEO of Skype.
Sol represents the mobile business of the present and the past.   Josh is the future.
The rate of innovation and fundamental change in [...]

Twitter-Versy!

Last week it was reported that Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich) Tweeted himself into the news by giving real time updates as he traveled to Iraq. He was in a delegation led by House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, R-Ohio.
His Tweets are chronologically reproduced verbatim from Twitter below:
Just landed in Baghdad. I believe it [...]

Mobile Application Stores Change the Game

For years the availability of applications on mobile devices was determined by a handful of executives at wireless companies. They choose what apps got the penthouse placement of being placed on the carriers’ mobile web portal. Placement on the “home-deck” was the Holy Grail for every business development executive.
In recent years, off-deck players have [...]

America 2.0

In a historic sense, we have officially begun the era of America 2.0. Many political pundits and Presidential historians will make a living for the next generation with analysis of what the Presidency of Barack Hussein Obama will mean for our collective futures.
My angle is simple and parallels the major technological force that is [...]

Facebook, Itouch and Calamari- Perfect Together

What does Facebook, Itouch and Calamari have in common?  The answer is Greek Gods!
This evening I helped one of my daughter’s with her homework.  The assignment was to take pictures of religious icons and places within our town.  She had two denominations to photograph, Jewish (which is a low degree of difficulty for us!) [...]

Miracle at the Meadowlands, Seen with my Eyes – Confirmed via Mobile

For me, Sunday at the Meadowlands usually means a Jets game. This past Sunday “Gang Green”, as they are affectionately known, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
With just two minutes left in the game, Buffalo was leading by 3 points.  At this point they inexplicitly called a pass play that resulted in a sack, [...]